


Draw Weight

by RaernS



Series: Resistance [1]
Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Archery, F/F, Friendly competition, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Pining, Post Garrosh's 'trial', Post-Theramore's Fall, Pre-Relationship, Vereesa being a useless bisexual, pre-Legion, the omegaverse stuff isn't super important in this fic but I wanted to note that its there, though I hesitate to even call it that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:33:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25040053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaernS/pseuds/RaernS
Summary: Shandris challenges Vereesa into a friendly archery competition.
Relationships: Shandris Feathermoon & Vereesa Windrunner, Shandris Feathermoon/Vereesa Windrunner
Series: Resistance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813459
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Draw Weight

**Author's Note:**

> The timeline on this fic is a little ambiguous, but I think it fits somewhere between the end of Warlords and before the Legion invasion.

The sun was just fully cresting the horizon over Stormwind’s gates as Vereesa made her way toward the archery range, her sons still safely snoring in their borrowed beds. They had begged to visit ‘Uncle Andy’ in Stormwind, and King Varian had given her a standing invitation to visit the castle since the events of the trial. Considering Giramar and Galadrin had been excelling in their studies for the first time since their father’s death, Vereesa had made the arrangements to spend a weekend with the royal family. Raising twins alone left her little time to herself for maintaining her skills, so she took the opportunity to get in practice when she could. She was sure she would have the range to herself for at least an hour or two before she would need to help the servants wrangle her boys out of bed for the day.

Contrary to her expectations, Vereesa rounded to corner not to see the archery range vacant in the early morning. Instead, there stood one familiar figure, bow in hand, rapidly firing at the most distant targets. Possibly one of the best known betas in all of Azeroth, Shandris Feathermoon was a sight to behold. Her right hand hardly slowed from retrieving an arrow from her quiver, nocking it on her string, and sending it flying down the range at her chosen target, which Vereesa noted changed in a random pattern. It was easy to understand how she was General of the Sentinel Army.

Vereesa hadn’t known that the night elf was even in Stormwind. Shaking her head to clear her pointless anxieties before they led to her scent clouding the whole range like a newly presenting alpha, she assured herself that Shandris likely did not care about her presence. Vereesa paced up to another lane a few meters from the much taller woman. With a sigh, she loosened the leather thong that held her unstrung bow to her back and braced its arm against her boot to flex the wood, stringing it with the practice of decades. 

She always had been nervous as a girl when others watched her shoot, be it Alleria or Sylvanas, with their riddling critiques, or later Lirath with his cheerful begging to go play. Her training in the Rangers had eased some of her anxiety and at least made it easier for her to hold a steady draw when others were firing beside her, but something about knowing the night elf was only a few yards away from her made the old tremble return. Loosening the strap of her quiver into a more easily accessible position, she selected and arrow and attempted to steady her stance.

As she lowered her bow for the third time without firing a single shot, she heard the soft clearing of a throat behind her. Vereesa spun to see Shandris smiling back at her. “Having some trouble, Lady Windrunner?”

The way the night elf said her name would never fail to make her jostle Vereesa determined as she glanced away, hoping the warmth along her ears was just from the exertion of drawing back and holding her bow so many times and not a flush of damning pinkish hue. “It’s been awhile,” she replied, her right ear flicking dismissively.

Shandris raised a brow, seeming not to buy the poor excuse. “If you would like, I can leave…” she began.

“No,” Vereesa cut in, shaking her head. “No, it’s fine. It’s just an old hang up of mine.” She rolled her shoulders with a sigh, glancing back at the target though her thoughts were still on the night elf she could still feel staring at her.

“How about a friendly game?” Vereesa blinked, turning back to Shandris. The night elf’s smile hadn’t faded in the slightest. “We’ll each take blind shots at the targets, starting closest to far, until one of us misses.” Vereesa was familiar with the concept, where an archer would stand with their back turned to the range, only turning to fire after their partner called out a random target. The Rangers used it to train their reactionary aim.

Vereesa worried on her cheek, eyeing each of the stationary targets. In normal circumstances, or even in the heat of battle, she would have no trouble hitting even the furthest target. But here on the practice range, with the kind night elven beta, she worried how much of a fool she would make of herself when she missed.

Because, of course, it was a matter of when, not if.

“I’m not really sure I’m up for a game, General Feathermoon.”

Shandris snorted before nearly doubling over in laughter, causing Vereesa’s ears to pin back in a mixture of concern and surprise. Once the night elf caught her breath, she uttered a half-chuckled reply, “Please, please don’t call me that. It seems entirely too foolish. Just Shandris is fine.”

Vereesa felt the corner of her mouth twitch upward in a faint smile, for once not bothered by how she had to look up at the taller woman. “Well, if you want me to call you Shandris, then you have to call me Vereesa.”

“Very well,” Shandris agreed, her ears rising slightly. Night elven ears weren’t nearly as expressive as high elven ones, but Vereesa could at least determine that her companion was not displeased with her demand.

Vereesa nodded. “But… as I was saying, I don’t think I’m up for a game with one of the best archers in the Alliance.”

“You flatter me,” Shandris replied with practiced ease. A response she likely gave thousand times over, Vereesa realized as her ears burned with embarrassment. “But I hear the Windrunners are well known for their prowess with a bow.”   
  
Vereesa glanced down. “You’re thinking about Alleria and…” She bit the inside of her cheek as guilt clutched at her heart. “Sylvanas.” Her relationship with Lady Moon was far too strained to even be called tumultuous at this point. While Anduin had chosen to keep her plot to poison Garrosh a secret, Sylvanas of course knew of her involvement. And if her sister was anything like she was in life, which Vereesa had come to believe she was via their talks during the trial, then Sylvanas assuredly viewed her choice to inform Anduin of the poisoned sunfruit as a direct betrayal.

“I’m sure it’s a family trait.” Shandris’ reassurance drew Vereesa out of her musings, and she noted how the night elf’s brows had drawn closer together in a look of concern.  _ She must think I’m jealous of my sisters’ skills _ . 

Vereesa forced a small smile and shrugged, her ears twitching. “Don’t get me wrong, I handle a bow just as well as any other Ranger, but I’m no legendary marksman.”

Shandris smirked. “Well, we should put that to the test, shouldn’t we?” Her silver gaze flicked from the high elf to the range behind her. “How do you usually call out targets?”

Vereesa turned to examine the field. “Typically we use sundial coordinates.” She pointed at the target furthest to the right. “That would be two thirty.”

Shandris hummed, tilting her head in consideration as her right ear perked. “I’m familiar with the method. The humans use it as well.”

Vereesa couldn’t help the coy smirk from spreading across her face. “Who do you think taught them?”

Shandris laughed, catching the high elf’s gaze for a few moments. Vereesa felt her heartbeat spike in a way she hadn’t felt since Rhonin died. She couldn’t help noting how the night elf’s eyes crinkled in such an adorable way with her mirth and how pleasant the sound of her laughter felt on her ears. Clearing her throat as her cheeks burned, she directed her gaze toward the ground, covering her embarrassment by appearing to double check her foot placement. “Should I go first?”

“Beauty before age, as the humans say,” Shandris responded with a teasing tone. Vereesa’s gaze snapped up and the playful grin on the night elf’s face told her that Shandris knew she had botched the phrase.

With a huff and a roll of her shoulders, the Ranger General of the Silver Covenant resolved to press the conversation past uncomfortable teasing. “What are we playing for, anyway? It’s not much of a game if there’s no wager.”

Shandris tilted her head as she regarded the shorter elf, humming in thought. “What would you like, should you win?”

_ A date,  _ Vereesa almost blurted, but she managed to bite her tongue before her brain made her look like a fool. “Ah… you offered the game, you choose the wager.”

The night elf appeared thoughtful as her gaze scanned the field before them. “During the Long Vigil, we Sentinels would wager meals,” she began, glancing back to Vereesa. “The loser would have to hunt and prepare a meal for the winner. Sound fair?”

Vereesa fought back a blush, though she was sure she certainly failed with how hot her cheeks suddenly felt. If Shandris noticed, the night elf gave no indication. Nervously rubbing her nose with a thumb, Vereesa nodded her agreement. “I… I could enjoy that prize. I hope you don’t mind cooking for twins, though.”

Shandris blinked before her lips drew into a soft smile. “I forgot you had children.”

“I sometimes wish I didn’t,” Vereesa admitted, chuckling.

“Children are a gift to both of our peoples,” Shandris insisted. “I hope to one day have my own.”

Vereesa smirked as her ears flicked backward in a knowing expression. “You say that now. Just wait until they wake you up in the middle of the night as infants, screaming for their omega’s milk. Rhonin had it worse than me; he actually had to get up each time.” For once, mentioning her mate’s name didn’t cause her heart to clench.

Shandris shrugged, maintaining her serene smile. “I’ve been woken up for worse reasons.” She glanced across the field. “Are you ready to begin?”

Vereesa exhaled, letting her shoulders relax as she held her bow in front of her, back to the rest of the range, arrow already nocked. Ears flicking faintly, she eased her feet into a more mobile stance, ready to turn and respond to Shandris’ call. She nodded, lips set into a determined line.

“Target, 11:45,” Shandris barked, and the tone nearly made Vereesa’s knees tremble. Was that what she sounded like when she commanded her rangers?

Nevertheless, the high elf spun on her heel as she drew back her string, taking aim at the target just off to her left. She had only just planted her feet and found the right corner of her lips when she released the string on an exhale. The arrow went careening down the field, easily finding the center of the target.

“One point for you,” Shandris observed. “Well done.”

Vereesa brushed off the praise with a chuckle, though she felt heat flare in her face and ears. “You chose one of the closer targets for me.”

Shandris grinned as she retrieved her bow, taking Vereesa’s place on the line. “Not so. I would consider that medium range for this venue.” She plucked an arrow from her quiver, setting it on her string and looking up at Vereesa to indicate her readiness.

Vereesa shook her head. “Yes, and anything closer is an insult to every elf on Azeroth.” She scanned the field for a target before snapping, “Target, 10:50.”

Shandris spun and fired, making it look effortless as her arrow found its mark. Lowering her bow with a smirk, she inclined her head toward Vereesa and traded places with the high elf. They continued back and forth, shot for shot, neither missing the innermost ring painted on the cloth stretched over each target.

“I feel like we need more of a challenge,” Vereesa dared to chuckle out after she landed her mark on the furthest target, impressing herself. Her previous nerves had all but left her, replaced with the pleasant warmth of joy of amorous competition. She hadn’t had this much fun practicing since she was young, shooting with her sisters on the Windrunner family range.

Shandris nodded, taking her place on the line. “Perhaps moving targets?” she suggested.

Vereesa looked around for something that would serve such a purpose, frowning when she came up empty of solutions. Noting that the sun had crept higher in the sky, she sighed. “My sons are likely waking up, looking for their breakfast at this hour. Maybe we should consider this a tie?” She found herself mourning the end of their game, especially with no guarantee of seeing the night elf again.

Shandris hummed her agreement. “It is growing rather late for myself.” Meeting Vereesa’s gaze with a kind smile, she held out her hand. “It was a pleasure shooting with you, Vereesa.”

The high elf clasped the General’s forearm with an equal smile. “The honor was mine. I look forward to firing with you again, Shandris.”

The night elf chuckled as she slung her bow over her shoulder. “When would you like to meet for that meal?”

Vereesa blinked. “Pardon?”

“In the case of a tie, it falls on the challenger to supply the wager,” Shandris explained cheerfully. “At least in Kaldorei customs.”

Vereesa felt her heart leap into her throat and her skin light ablaze for the umpteenth time that morning. She cleared her throat as she glanced to the side, considering brushing off the generous offer. But she stopped herself. Jaina had been telling her for months now that she should put an effort into moving on from Rhonin. Perhaps this could be a positive step in that direction.

Running a hand through her hair, Vereesa met Shandris’ silver gaze with a twitching smile. “Uh… it’s hard to find a sitter these days,” she rambled, her ears canting forward in a display of interest. “But, perhaps three days from now? You could come to my home in Dalaran with your kill, and we could prepare it together? It’s the least I can offer, since you didn’t actually lose.”

Shandris smiled down at Vereesa and nodded. “Of course. I’ll come by an hour after dusk?”

“That would be wonderful,” the high elf agreed.

“Until then,” Shandris replied, bowing her head again as she departed for the city proper.

Vereesa couldn’t contain her broad smile. “Y-yes!” she called after the night elf, wincing at her over-eager tone. She stood on the range for a few more moments, staring down at her boots as she processed the events of her morning. A warm, bubbly feeling bloomed from her chest, spreading down her limbs all the way to her fingers and toes. Shaking herself, she took off for the castle, where she was sure Giramar and Galadrin were causing trouble for the servants. Try as she might, Vereesa couldn’t hide the giddy spring in her steps.


End file.
